Top 15 CFB Players You'll Fall in Love with in 2026
It's the long, dark cold month of February, and while college football seems so far away on Valentine's Day, we know you are still thinking of your true love.
You may sign your significant other's Valentine with Xs and Os, but we know you're really thinking of those other Xs and Os.
If you're like us, you're already mapping out what games you're going to watch, thinking about who the top contenders will be and looking ahead to spring practice when your team's stars of tomorrow take the field. You'll soak up every morsel of news then.
For now, it's all about projection, and that's OK. That's part of the fun, too.
Everybody knows the usual suspects expected to be stars in 2026, but how about those guys who are on the cusp of stardom? Whether they're up-and-comers who haven't gotten their chance to shine, transfers getting to do it on a bigger stage or underclassmen taking the spotlight, '26 is full of guys you need to know.
We're here to give 'em to you.
Terrell Anderson, USC Wide Receiver
1 of 15
Jayden Maiava is going to sling it around plenty in Lincoln Riley's USC system, and the Trojans are going to have to replace mass production from 2025.
Gone are Biletnikoff Award winner Makai Lemon and 700-plus yard receiver Ja'Kobi Lane. Reinforcements are on campus in Los Angeles, though, led by North Carolina State transfer Terrell Anderson.
The 6'2", 204-pound Greensboro, North Carolina, native left his home and traveled across the country for more exposure in an explosive offense. A year ago, he enjoyed a breakout season with 39 catches for 629 yards and five touchdowns.
Not only is Anderson a much-needed veteran, he possesses the versatility to play inside or outside in Riley's offense and can move wherever needed.
Now, he steps into a golden opportunity to be WR1 with a veteran quarterback calling the shots. Anderson is a big, athletic, field-stretching force, and he's a guy you're going to love watching pile up stats for a marquee offense.
Ty Benefield, LSU Safety
2 of 15
Is there anything better than a smashmouth safety who's not afraid to step up in the run game, deliver body shots and also punish receivers going across the middle?
Welcome to Ty Benefield's game, and he's going to be a perfect addition to LSU's defense, where coordinator Blake Baker may finally have a top-shelf offense to take a little of the pressure off in Baton Rouge.
With Lane Kiffin coaching the Bayou Bengals now, Baker's unit can pin their ears back and go after opponents. Benefield fits that fast, aggressive scheme. The former Boise State standout will play his final college football in the SEC, and his game will fit just fine.
At 6'2", 204 pounds, Benefield is a big-bodied mass-producer who had 105 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, two interceptions and three passes defended. Those are some dynamic stats, but maybe you haven't heard of him since he was out in the Mountain West.
Benefield is coming to an SEC Saturday near you now, and he has the potential to be one of the nation's most explosive third-level defenders in Baker's scheme.
Chaz Coleman, Tennessee Edge
3 of 15
Nobody on this list screams "elite upside" like Tennessee rising sophomore edge-rusher Chaz Coleman. No other defender who made this group of players is as unproven, either, though.
Coleman followed new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles from Penn State to Rocky Top where he will be relied on to be a star early. He is part of a complete overhaul on that side of the ball for the Vols, who need a change of pretty much everything defensively.
The 6'4", 250-pound defender is a budding star who produced when he got on the field a year ago, playing 144 snaps and finishing with 12 pressures, three tackles for a loss and one strip-sack. According to ESPN's Max Olson, "he also had the sixth-best get-off score among all Power Four edge rushers in Teamwork's tracking data."
Coleman is in an ideal spot. He's got a clear path to playing time on a defense that includes familiar faces in fellow Nittany Lions transfers Amare Campbell and Xavier Gilliam. And he's playing in front of a fan base that reveres their stars.
He's set up for a big season.
Jaden Craig, TCU Quarterback
4 of 15
We're always enamored when a quarterback comes from a lower level and stars on the big stage. Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss captured college football hearts everywhere with his play in '25, for example.
A possibility to be next year's Chambliss is rising senior Jaden Craig, who spent the first part of his career at Harvard, slinging touchdown passes and getting a decent education.
Now, the 6'2", 215-pound former Crimson star heads to Fort Worth, Texas, where he will try to post huge numbers for the TCU Horned Frogs in Sonny Dykes' high-octane offense. With Josh Hoover off to Indiana, Craig has big cleats to fill.
A season ago, Craig finished with 2,869 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions, and while he isn't a big runner, he still found the end zone on the ground seven more times.
This is a kid who obviously is going to come into a high-powered offense with supreme intelligence, ideal size and eager to take the stage and show NFL programs what he's got in the Power Four. He's going to be entertaining to watch develop.
Ezavier "EJ" Crowell, Alabama Running Back
5 of 15
Our first freshman on the list is a can't-miss player heading to the nation's most storied program at a time when it is in dire need of an electrifying weapon at his position.
Can Ezavier Crowell (known to all as "EJ") save the Alabama Crimson Tide's woeful rushing attack? That may be one of the SEC's biggest storylines of 2026.
When North Carolina State transfer Hollywood Smothers left Alabama at the altar and flipped to Texas, it pretty much guaranteed Crowell was going to get an audition. Yes, Daniel Hill will have a say-so in that rushing attack, but the incoming Jackson, Alabama, native is a weapon.
At 5'11", 205 pounds, Crowell is an ideal size for an every-down back, and he was the nation's top-ranked running back for a reason. He has the vision, burst and second-level speed necessary to start right away.
The running game has been a massive disappointment for Alabama in the Kalen DeBoer era, but Crowell can change all that. If he does, he'll be beloved in Title Town.
Byrd Ficklin, Utah Quarterback
6 of 15
You may think it's odd to have a backup quarterback on this list when everybody knows he's going to remain a backup in 2026.
But if you haven't watched Byrd Ficklin play for the Utah Utes, do yourself a favor and tune in. He's just a blast to watch every time he has the ball in his hands.
So, even though Devon Dampier is the sure-fire starter in Salt Lake City and a potential Heisman Trophy candidate, new coach Morgan Scalley surely saw plenty last year at his station as Utes defensive coordinator when Kyle Whittingham had a package for the true freshman that Ficklin must get on the field.
Dampier and Ficklin both seem fine with it, and as Dampier enters his final season, it's still going to be awesome when Ficklin trots onto the field. The 6'1", 181-pound signal-caller is a home-run hitting threat waiting to happen.
In his first year, he completed 21-of-35 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns and also added 513 yards on 61 carries (8.4 average) with 10 touchdowns. Production like that demands you stand up and take notice.
Byrd's got next.
Caleb Hawkins, Oklahoma State Running Back
7 of 15
If you're a religious follower of college football, you had to hear of Caleb Hawkins' first year in college football as a revelation for the upstart North Texas Mean Green.
The Shawnee, Oklahoma, native piled up 1,434 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns, adding 32 catches for 370 yards and four more touchdowns playing for coach Eric Morris' explosive offense.
Now, Hawkins is heading home along with fellow freshman quarterback Drew Mestemaker to continue playing for Morris now that he's taken over for Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State.
Nobody is predicting the Cowboys to have any sort of breakout year in Stillwater with a complete facelift of the program, but why not? That's why it's going to be fun to watch a team with zero expectations go out there and play a gridiron version of those old Nolan Richardson "40 Minutes of Hell" Arkansas basketball teams.
The Cowboys are going to score some points and have a high variance. The bet here is Hawkins' game translates on any level, and he's going to take the Big 12 by storm.
Chris Henry Jr., Ohio State Wide Receiver
8 of 15
Losing Brian Hartline was a big deal for Ohio State, who replaced the departed offensive coordinator with former NFL head coach Arthur Smith.
He will inherit a ridiculous amount of receiving talent.
You can always count on the Buckeyes having megastar pass-catchers, and that will be the case again in 2026. Of course, Jeremiah Smith may be the best player in college football, but even with Carnell Tate gone, stars abound.
Brandon Inniss is back along with transfers Devin McCuin (UTSA) and Kyle Parker (LSU), but look out for 5-star pass-catcher Chris Henry Jr. The 6'5", 201-pound weapon must stay healthy. If he does, he's got as much upside as any playmaker at the position since Smith.
Henry has incredible top-end speed for a player his size, long-striding to move past defenders in a hurry. He also has the height and separation to grab most of the 50-50 balls.
With an NFL pedigree, Henry knows how to play the position. His upside is top-of-the-draft potential, and Ryan Day and Smith must find a path to playing time right away. Don't flinch if he starts.
Lance Jackson, Texas Outside Linebacker
9 of 15
It seems like, these days, you can always count on the Texas Longhorns having a true freshman defensive player who everybody is talking about by the end of their first season.
In 2025, that guy was outside linebacker Lance Jackson, a get-up-and-go-after-quarterbacks defender who has a lot of jackrabbit skills to his game and looks like he has the ability to follow in the huge cleat marks of Anthony Hill Jr. and Colin Simmons before him.
The 6'5", 254-pound Texarkana, Texas, native had 16 tackles and a pair of sacks as a freshman and, like Chaz Coleman, he's on this list because of projection. But he looks like he could be the next big thing in Austin.
Though his numbers weren't anywhere near those of Simmons' or Hill's first season, he didn't have the reps because of the veteran depth of the Longhorns. The spot is cleared for him to start and star in '26, and his elite ability will be inarguable.
This is a sleeper to be one of the biggest young stars of the SEC.
Alberto Mendoza, Georgia Tech Quarterback
10 of 15
Who isn't ready for another Mendoza?
Last year, Heisman Trophy-winning Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza captured the hearts of the college football world following his transfer from Cal, leading the Hoosiers to a historic national championship.
Along the way, his faith, humility and "aw-shucks" speeches were equal parts dorky and endearing. But he would straight-up rip your heart out on the football field.
Now, he's off to be the top pick in the NFL draft, and many thought his brother, Alberto, would take over for him in Bloomington. But Curt Cignetti plucked Josh Hoover from TCU in the transfer portal, and the younger Mendoza bolted for a starting spot immediately at Georgia Tech.
He'll have to step into the massive shadow of Haynes King, who was a Yellow Jackets legend. Mendoza is a 6'2", 203-pound signal-caller who looked great in mop-up duty as a freshman, completing 75 percent of his 24 passes for 285 yards, five touchdowns and one interception.
He also ran 13 times for 190 yards, and while he isn't the most graceful dual-threat guy, he kind of resembles his brother (and maybe a little like King, too) out there.
Mendoza has the gamer mentality coach Brent Key loves, and he is going to be fun to watch develop and to listen to at Georgia Tech. It's just a neat family full of good kids, and their charisma is good for college football.
Hopefully, his game measures up.
Dakorien Moore, Oregon Wide Receiver
11 of 15
If you want electrifying talent on the perimeter, perhaps nobody in the nation provides it like a healthy Dakorien Moore.
We didn't really get to see that a season ago as Moore meandered through a crowded Oregon Ducks receiver room as an elite 5-star freshman who dealt with injuries that slowed him at times.
Even so, the Texas native who was the No. 1-ranked receiver in the nation in the 2025 class finished with 34 catches for 497 yards and three touchdowns.
He and elite classmate Jeremiah McClellan are the future of the position for a loaded Ducks roster that also will return star pass-catcher Evan Stewart, who spent the '25 season injured. There's no other roster in the nation that can boast what Dan Lanning has.
With Dante Moore throwing all of them the ball, it could be an unreal year.
Moore has more sheer talent than any of them, and his game-breaking speed is going to be on full display. He may not wind up with crazy numbers in a deep receiver room, but he's a home-run hitter who's a threat for a house call any time he touches it.
When you think about elite talents like Moore, McClellan, Stewart, Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr., there's just so many weapons on that offense.
Luke Reynolds, Virginia Tech Tight End
12 of 15
A couple of seasons ago, Luke Reynolds was coming to Penn State as a 5-star tight end who had visions of becoming the next Tyler Warren.
Things didn't go as expected in Happy Valley. After spelling Warren in '24 and flashing at times, he took center stage for a bad team that dealt with Drew Allar's injury, James Franklin's firing and a generally rocky season.
Reynolds caught just 26 balls for 257 yards and was shut out of the end zone. It was a massive disappointment for the 6'4", 250-pound talented target.
Now, however, he is poised for a breakout season. Familiarity will benefit him as he transfers to Virginia Tech to be reunited with Franklin and young quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, who will benefit from having a familiar face.
Franklin knows how to develop tight ends, and the Hokies are going to need offensive playmakers like Reynolds to jump-start their program. He won't have a Warren-like junior year, but don't be surprised to see them try to utilize him that way.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, California Quarterback
13 of 15
Glimmers of immense talent were obvious last year when Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele took the field for the California Bears as an uber-talented 5-star freshman quarterback. So, at times, were the youth and inexperience.
As he grows and develops, though, JKS is special.
Keeping around Nick Rolovich is critical to the sophomore southpaw's development, and bringing in Jordan Somerville, who is a known developer of quarterbacks, to be the offensive coordinator under new coach Tosh Lupoi is huge, too.
There aren't many better building blocks nationally than JKS. He finished his first year in Berkeley with 3,454 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions. From the moment he stepped onto the field against Oregon State, you knew there was something different about him.
Now, he'll be a year older, more seasoned and playing for a coach in Lupoi that can surround him with much better talent. The sky is the limit for Sagapolutele, who could sneak up and be one of the most fun players in the nation to watch in '26.
Smith Snowden, Michigan Defensive Back/Skill-Position Player
14 of 15
Smith Snowden should be on your radar, but you may not be familiar with his name. Come '26, you'll know it and his game.
The former do-it-all dynamo who starred at Utah the past few years is joining Kyle Whittingham at Michigan, and he will play for his old coach in a place where the spotlight shines as bright as anywhere. In Ann Arbor, if you can do it all, it's not uncommon to generate Heisman Trophy buzz.
Ask Desmond Howard. Ask Charles Woodson. You can even ask Jabrill Peppers, who had a run at the trophy before falling short.
Well, Snowden can be like that. He has played boundary cornerback, slot corner, safety and he contributes on offense, too. By the way, don't forget about special teams.
In three seasons, he has 92 tackles, including six for a loss and four interceptions. He also caught 13 passes for 57 yards in '25 and ran eight times for 40 yards and a score. Snowden can also return kicks.
If he can take it up a notch in the Big Ten, he's going to be one of the nation's most impactful transfers.
Trey White, Texas Tech Edge
15 of 15
The perfect player for this list is Trey White, who was arguably the nation's top defensive playmaker a season ago, starring for the upstart San Diego State Aztecs.
Now, after an explosive junior season, the 6'2", 245-pound edge-rusher will leave the Mountain West and try to win a national championship on a loaded Texas Tech roster that has piled up transfer-portal talent once again.
No defensive addition may be bigger than White, who can fill the major void left by departing transfer David Bailey, who will be a first-round pick after a monster year in Lubbock.
White can follow suit. As an Aztec last season, he amassed 47 tackles and seven sacks, even getting tons of extra attention after a sophomore year in which he was an unheralded star who had 60 tackles and 12.5 sacks.
This guy is a mass-producer who will prove on the Power Four stage that he, too, is a first-round talent. White is an All-America candidate, and now, he'll get to do it in front of our eyes rather than late-night television on some obscure network.
.jpg?w=600 "New Peter Schrager Mock Draft 📝")
.jpg?w=600 "Allen Wanted to Keep Bone 😅")
